Melissa stunk on the Next Food Network Star and she still stinks...glad to see she is not on any more. It was clear to me that Jeffrey should have won. He had more personality in his little finger that Melissa does in her whole mouth full of teeth. Go, Jeffrey. Good luck with your new show...I can't wait to see it...Does anyone know when it will start and where it will be?

She was not my favorite to win either but I decided to give her a chance and watch the show. I was extremely disappointed with the $10 buck meal format. All carbs--no depth. During the competition, the judges constantly complemented the taste of her food. The $10 limits the quality & appeal of recipes she is allowed to make. In reality, the key to feeding a large family in a healthy way is by having a garden and by freezing & canning yourself. It is not by serving a bunch of carbs with a couple of asparagus spears. Food network is to blame for this bad show--not the inexperienced star.

Mellissa won the contest, but not the support she needs to become the star she could be. PLEASE LET HER COOK WITHOUT A BUDGET OF TEN DOLLARS. People who are that deprived aren't watching your network, they're out looking for jobs! Mellissa has talent and lots of personality to make her show work. Let her do her thing or stop pretending that the winner has won! Start by giving her a prime time slot. Your evening line up doesn't teach a thing after Rachael is finished. It's too boring for words

I have to admit, I also loved the concept of the "spice Smuggler" with Jeff Sadd. It was different, it had the romance of distant areas, and tastes, it took us out of our comfort zone in the kitchen and opened us up to something new.
Mallisa is sort of "old school"... the type of cooking show you saw with your mom. Todays cooking shows have to compete with the web, and that offers all sorts of world wide posibilities. Im sorry to say it but the $10 a day concept just does not fly.

Would love to give Melissa the benefit of the doubt, but after watching the second episode, have too much of a headache to watch again. She uses too much needless chatter and tries way too hard. Would love to have seen Jeffrey as the winner.

I do not like the show - she is terrible in front of a camera. GIVE ME JEFFREY!!!! She talks toot much ! There is no way that is a meal for 4 for $10 maybe four 3 year olds. Go back home and cook for your family! I will not watch and I watch a LOT of food network!!

One more thing. Would have much preferred Jeffery's show. Always looking for a new ingredient to try. Did that one year for my dad at Christmas. Went to the local gourmet store and picked out 3-4 unusual ingredients and created a recipe for each. This was about 10 years ago and he still used a couple of them.

4 people $10. My wife and I have been doing that, better than this fist show, for 15 years (actually 5 people, including a 6'+ 200 lb.+ teenager). Yes we start with a fully-stocked pantry and spice rack, but it's not hard if you shop the sales and we do it 4-5 times a week.

I think Melissas show 10buck meal is a joke. I think she is boring and she talks way to much. Not to mention she is so slow on what she's making. She is no Racheal or giada.

Not planning on tuning in again. Amazing!!! You go to the flea market in the AM & come home & whip up that lunch? Puhleeze!!! The meal didn't quite go with the name & concept of the show. (Seemed more like "The Gourmet Next Door".....which got cancelled a couple of years ago!!!) By the way, during the competition, she kept telling how she cooked with her girls.......then we see they're 4 BABIES....I assumed, from listening to her, that they were old enough to cook with & have fun with in the kitchen..........like Jeffrey's daughter. Loved Jeffrey....he had a real concept of cooking with kids & more of a FAMILY fun thing in the kitchen.